Abstract
Soil compaction can affect the productivity of permanent grassland. The effectiveness of methods to alleviate compaction depends on compaction level and soil type. We applied sward lifting in compacted grassland on a sandy loam and a heavy clay soil and measured effects on soil characteristics, grass roots, and grass productivity for a period of up to 32 months. Our results show that sward lifting improved soil structure in the heavily compacted sandy loam for at least 31 months. This led to an improvement in water drainage; sward-lifted plots dried up an estimated 10 days earlier than control plots in spring 2017. A likely earlier start of root growth resulted in a higher grass herbage yield (+12% to +22%) and nitrogen (N) uptake (+13% to +22%) in three first growth periods but in only relatively small gains over the entire experimental period (+4% and +8%, respectively). The higher herbage N uptake on sward-lifted plots over the experimental period (+76 kg N ha−1) was offset by a small N loss (−67 kg N ha−1) from the 0–30 cm soil layer. On the heavy clay, sward lifting also improved soil structure and rooting, but effects were smaller and shorter-lived, and herbage yield and N uptake tended to be lower over the entire experimental period (−6% and −5%, respectively). Here, the lower N uptake on sward-lifted plots over the experimental period (−43 kg N ha−1) was accompanied by a large soil N loss (−613 kg N ha−1). Based on all results, we conclude that sward lifting has limited attractiveness to alleviate compaction in water-retaining sandy soils when average penetration resistance in the topsoil is below 2.8 MPa. Sward lifting should be avoided on smectic clay soils altogether, as these soils have a high natural restoration capacity and sward lifting has more negative than positive effects.
Highlights
Soil compaction in permanent grassland is a problem, because it can impair grass growth through negative effects on root growth and root activity (Cook et al, 1996; Hopkins and Patrick, 1969)
There were no significant differences between treatments in the amounts of organic matter (OM), C, and N, neither in the 0–30 cm soil layer nor in individual 10-cm soil layers
The amount of N was not significantly different between the treatments in the 0–30 cm soil layer, but was significantly lower (P = 0.01) in the 10–20 cm layer for the sward-lifted plots compared to the controls, and was 6044 and 6480 kg N ha−1, respectively
Summary
Soil compaction in permanent grassland is a problem, because it can impair grass growth through negative effects on root growth and root activity (Cook et al, 1996; Hopkins and Patrick, 1969). A form of non-inversion tillage, is used as a method to alleviate compaction in the topsoil (0–30 cm) of permanent grassland, with minimal damage to sward and soil. Lifting and lowering of the topsoil creates a wave movement that breaks compacted layers into smaller parts while leaving the sward and roots largely intact. The latter is a significant advantage over the traditional method of grassland renovation by ploughing and reseeding. The minimal damage of sward lifting (De Boer et al, 2018) makes this method potentially useful to maintain permanent grassland, one of the focal points of the 2013 CAP reform of the EU and part of the EU regulations (EU Regulation No 1307/2013)
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